Patrick Hager was part of the silver team in Pyeongchang 2018, for Fabio Wagner it is the first Winter Olympics. In the interview they talk about everyday life in the Olympic Village, visits to other sports - and look ahead to the first game against Canada on Thursday, February 10th.
Fabio, you are at your first Olympic Games. What about the excitement?
Fabio Wagner: Sure, the excitement is there, but the anticipation clearly outweighs everything. I can hardly wait for us to finally start tomorrow (February 10.02.2022, 14, 10:XNUMX p.m., opponent: Canada, TV broadcasts on Eurosport and ARD/ZDF). The last few days have been great, a lot of fun. But tomorrow it's really time for our first game!
Patrick, you're basically an old Olympic hand. You have a good mix of experienced players and young talent, right?
Patrick Hager: The mix in our national team is very good, the team has grown further together after the 2018 Olympics. We know each other well, we are well prepared and we are very motivated. The cycle shifts every four years in national teams: those who had less experience four years ago are now experienced. As you get older you move up the ladder. And of course there are always young players coming up.
What does your Olympic daily routine look like?
Patrick Hager: Everyday life and processes are quite classic for us athletes. The training times are set by the organizers; We have a very limited time on the ice, which we make the most of. We also train a lot in the weight room. Otherwise we have a lot of free time. Of course, four years ago it was easier for us to use the time and attend other sports. That's much more difficult now with Corona, we're in our bubble - but we knew that beforehand.
It's a bit tiring, but we're making the best of it and that's also bringing the team closer together. We look together to see what events we have in Beijing.
Which events have you already attended?
Patrick Hager: On our day off on Wednesday we went to freestyle big air and speed skating. That was great for clearing your head and immersing yourself more in the Olympic feeling. It's a shame that we aren't allowed to go up to the other village. The express train was built specifically for this purpose.
What is your life like in the Olympic Village?
Fabio Wagner: We are accommodated in two- and four-person apartments. We meet other nations, for example, in the cafeteria while eating. When there's no ice hockey or other events coming up, we spend a lot of time together in our rooms. We play games, read, relax – whatever you do when you have free time.
What are the biggest differences between 2018 and 2022?
Patrick Hager: Without Corona, this would have been a good setup. An express train takes us up into the mountains in an hour. With a German house. For us as Team Germany, this is just an unbelievable shame because we can't celebrate successes together and can't really cheer together. In 2018, we went to the German House on our days off, had something to eat, watched the screen, cheered on medals, and there was a reception in the evening. All the athletes miss that, which is why everyone is happy when the competition starts. The full focus is on the sport. Everything else is very minimized. After a week of preparation, finally starting tomorrow - we're already looking forward to it.
What surprised you? What didn't you expect?
Fabio Wagner: Traveling under pandemic regulations was a bit unusual for everyone and also an organizational challenge. However, the process surrounding the sport, in the stadium and in the village is good and normal. There are always funny things in our team, but there hasn't been anything strange yet.
Patrick Hager: Sure, when you land in Beijing and you feel like you're on Mars. The people in the protective suits. This is how they walk through the village here too. But those are the rules and the Chinese are very strict about it. We now almost see this as normal.
Let's look at ice hockey. How did your preparation go?
Patrick Hager: Without any major problems. We were lucky enough to enter the country without any major corona problems. The second test also cleared up any suspected cases upon entry. We were almost completely on the ice from the start - Holzi arrived a little later. The ice times are limited, but that's understandable with ten women's and twelve men's national teams. We only have two arenas and two training areas. But we made good use of the time and also played a small preparation game, which gives us courage for the group games.
What is important in the first game against Canada?
Fabio Wagner: It is very important that we start well tomorrow and get into the game quickly. We have to be ready from the beginning and then get better from period to period. And we want to put our stamp on the game from the beginning and not give the Canadians a chance.
Your goal?
Both: Win!
Thank you both for the interview and have a fantastic start to the tournament tomorrow!